#Friendship #BookDeal #Honesty #Support #Communication
Hey there! So, you’re in a bit of a pickle, huh? You’ve landed a book deal that your best friend has been dreaming of for her entire life, and now you’re faced with the daunting task of breaking the news to her. It’s a tricky situation to navigate, but fear not, I’m here to help you out!
First things first, let’s address the elephant in the room – your friend’s reaction. It’s completely normal to feel a mix of emotions – guilt, fear, uncertainty – when you’re about to share news that might not be well-received. However, remember that true friendship is built on honesty and support. Keeping this news from your friend will only create a barrier between you two, and that’s the last thing you want.
Here’s how you can approach the situation with grace and compassion:
## Be Honest and Transparent
– Sit down with your friend in a calm and private setting.
– Express your gratitude for her support and acknowledge her hard work and dedication to writing.
– Be honest about your own feelings of guilt and uncertainty. Let her know that you value her friendship and don’t want this news to hurt her.
## Show Empathy and Understanding
– Put yourself in her shoes and try to understand how she might be feeling.
– Validate her emotions and let her know that you’re there for her, no matter what.
– Offer your support and reassurance that your friendship is important to you.
## Share the News Gently
– Choose your words carefully and deliver the news in a gentle and empathetic way.
– Avoid bragging or rubbing it in her face. Instead, focus on your own feelings and fears.
– Let her know that you understand if she needs time to process the news and that you’re there to talk whenever she’s ready.
## Seek Guidance from Within
– Remember the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita, which emphasize the importance of duty and selflessness.
– Reflect on your actions and intentions, and ensure that you’re approaching this situation with sincerity and compassion.
– Trust that everything happens for a reason, and that true friendship can withstand any challenge.
In the end, remember that communication is key in any relationship. By being honest, empathetic, and understanding, you can navigate this situation with grace and preserve the bond you share with your best friend. Good luck! 📚💖 #FriendshipGoals #SupportiveFriends #HonestyIsTheBestPolicy
Be straight and honest including to you feeling a bit guilty because you think she deserves it just as much. And that you hope she gets the same opportunity in the near future and that you admire her
First things first. Sign the contract.
As a professional published author, I am sitting here tensing up at the thought of that unsigned contract timing out. Don’t deny yourself this, the sacrifice won’t change her luck and it *shouldn’t* change your friendship.
What big publishing house?
She will feel worse hearing it from trade publications; sign your contract and let her know. Your success at signing a book deal doesn’t mean she is a bad author. The powers that be decided to invest in your skill.
Sign the contract.
When you tell her the news, consider doing it in writing. This is just my own personal preference – but if I was your friend, receiving this news that will bring up COMPLICATED emotions – I would really appreciate the space to be able to work out those emotions alone, with privacy.
What I would do is to invite your friend to hang out/do something for the near future. Then, I’d let her know that I have some news I just received and want to share. Tell her that you heard back from Big Publishing House, and that they’ve picked up your book, and thank her for her encouragement and support.
The fact is, a lot of book publishing has to do with current or soon future trends. If they don’t think her book will have broad appeal, they may not offer a deal. There is also a new and annoying trend that publishers want everything to be fluffy, sweet and appeal to as many demographics as possible for their maximum profit.
This always kinda sucks for writers because you can be really good and people love your writing but a publisher gets to decide if you are mainstream enough.
Honestly, I would sign the contract but know it will hurt your friend. It is not your fault or even hers for feeling envious, it just happens. I went to school for art and I know people doing better and worse than me. It sucks if you work hard and just don’t get picked up.
If she’s a good friend she will be happy for you. After all she asked you to do it. Just sign the contract..
Sign the contract.
She may have to step back from your friendship for a while. Give her that space.
You shouldn’t feel guilty about getting a contract. Don’t make her feel guilty if she needs some space.
You just tell her. If she’s your friend she will be happy for you.
Yes, that sucks for her. But don’t dim your shine.
And congratulations!!!!
First, review the contract with a lawyer, then proceed with signing if it’s a good contract. Publishing doesn’t “work” by who is a great writer—it cannot be earned or deserved—but by which piece is going to sell and make them money. [Hellooooooo 50 Shades of Gray] Your friend should be happy for you!
First off – congratulations. While you might not feel like you deserve it, you’re clearly talented and from one stranger to another you should be so proud of yourself.
Secondly – if you want this deal, take it. Your book deal doesn’t not take a book deal from your friend. There isn’t a finite number of book deals in the world and if you pass on yours, she gets hers. You need to fill your own cup and while that might hurt her, that isn’t your responsibility or fault.
I would tell your friend through text so she has the time to process it on her own time without feeling forced to ‘give’ you a reaction. I’d also acknowledge that you truly think she’s talented, her time will come and that you’re truly humbled and grateful for the book deal. Don’t tell her you’ve been sitting around for a while trying to tell her, just that the news came, you’re processing it and you’ve accepted the deal. I’d also let her know there’s no pressure to respond and if she doesn’t want updates on the book deal you’re happy to respect that for her.
And again, congrats.
Sign it Shrek
imagine you dont sign the contract, and you tell your friend its because of her and you didn’t want to hurt her feelings. if shes a good friend, that would make her feel shittier than if you didn’t sign
Sign the contract, get your book out, make the contacts and share your passion for your friends writing. You can open the door for her.
As a writer myself, I’m confused as to how you “submitted your novel to a big publishing house” and got a book deal five weeks later? Major houses do not accept unsolicited submissions. Have you and your friend been submitting to imprints? There’s no way to land a book deal like that without an agent unless it was a particular imprint or small press. Has your friend not tried to land an agent instead? Not that I think you’re lying about the book deal but the situation sounds odd.
Either way, it’s a rough situation, as your friend will likely be upset, but would probably still be happy for you and support you. It might feel worse if you wait too long to tell her. Go out for coffee or something and bring it up gently.
First and most important. Well done! That is incredible! You should be so very proud of yourself. Secondly, sign the contract.
I am a writer myself on a smaller scale. If I had encouraged my friend to go for a book deal at the same time as me, I, as a friend would MEAN IT. She obviously thinks you can write. She wouldn’t I hope, hope you to fail.
So while your friend may be jealous and upset for a while, she should celebrate your amazing achievement with you. It might take a little while to get over, privately. But if she IS your friend, she will be thrilled for you. She should be. I would be.
Well done OP. You did it!!!!
She might feel lots of negative things, but she can also feel like she inspired it to happen.
Once you have a lawyer review the contract, sign it if you are comfortable with the terms.
I know it sucks but your friend will be happy for you just like you are for her. If she isn’t, well, it’s one way to find out she was never your friend.
Sure, she will be disappointed but it sounds like neither of you are toxic and I bet she will be happy for you, even if she is sad for herself.
Sign the contract.
There isn’t a good way to break it to her, except – OMG! They want my book!
Once you are with the publisher, see if you can get her book another try.
If it changes the friendship you’ll know she’s not a real one
Sign the contract
If she’s a true friend she will be happy for you. Be straight with her when you tell her, including empathizing with her not getting a deal yet. You may be her gateway to getting signed.
Sign the contract. Do you know what is worse than finding out that your friend who didn’t care so much got the thing you’ve been dreaming and working for your whole life? Finding out they got it and turned it down. Give your friend the respect of honesty and trust. I bet it will hit her hard. It will hurt. She will wonder what she is doing with her life and whether there is any point in continuing. But it’s not for sure that she will blame you unfairly or that any space she might need would be permanent.
Sign the contract. Throwing an opportunity she dreams of into trash in front of her is stupid and hurtful. If she is a good friend she eventually will accept it.
Yeah, none of this is how book deals work.
True friends are happy for your success above all else. You made no bad moves here and therefore shouldn’t feel guilty.
Sign the contract. Talking to your friend has nothing to do with that. Don’t lose this opportunity.
Sign the contract. The connections you make from this could help HER!
If she’s a good friend, she will be happy for you and privately sad. She knows the industry is fickle and it’s like getting struck by lightning
ChatGPT needs to get facts about book deals right. See they still need actual authors!
Did you sign it yet?
You tell her with a lot of personal praise to her for pushing you to do your best and that it wouldn’t have been possible without her.
2 for 1 here
You get a fabulous career opportunity and to see her reaction . A real friend will be happy for you even if personally disappointed.
I would sign the contract. If she doesn’t support you then she’s not really your friend. She can be disappointed but book publishing is hard. Besides it depends on the genre or whatever book agents are looking for. If you two wrote similar stories then I can see her being mad but if you two wrote completely different genres then you can’t control that. If it’s a romance fantasy, I would totally read it so you can DM me the name when it gets published.
I don’t know what the motivation would be to lie about this, but you don’t submit manuscripts to publishing houses, that’s your agent’s job. I don’t preclude the possibility that I might not know something, but I’m not aware of any “really big publishing houses” that accept unsolicited submissions. My understanding is you need a WGA signatory agent to submit on your behalf. If I’m wrong… OP, do tell who is accepting unsolicited submissions lol. Inquiring minds want to know.
If your book is successful, could you not “put in a word” so to speak for them to take a chance with your friend too?